Monument
by YaoiSongstress07
Summary: Giftfic for The Big Boss! Post MGS4. Old Snake undergoes the worst imaginable pain, but a maiden vows to heal him. But why would the beautiful Faith love such a wretched human being?
1. Chapter 1

Welcome one, welcome all! This is a (late) giftfic for an incredibly dear friend, The Big Boss. I actually wanted to compose this as a Christmas present for him, but life prevented me from doing so. Here it is now, a Mirror's Edge/Metal Gear Solid adventure in full bloom!

**_Warning: Includes an emotional Old Snake and heavy lemony features. If you're adverse to a human-ish Snake and/or explicit, sexual scenes, please don't read this._**

Disclaimer: I'm not responsible for either Metal Gear Solid or Mirror's Edge.

* * *

"I know its bad, but just hold still a little longer. I'm almost done."

She was treating a puppy, but he was unlike any other puppy out there. He was a puppy in human form, a seemingly gruff but gentle animal that couldn't handle any degree of pain. He had a great deal of years behind him, due to the intrusion of a drug on, but no one could deny his babyish characteristics. She couldn't deny the love she bore for him, and wouldn't have done so if a gun had been held to her head. The love she carried for him wasn't the love of a family member, though. It was the love of infinite nights, blossoming roses and newborn Spring.

Her love was a feverish flame, burning deeper than wildfire of time. She was drawn to him like a moth to a flame. It was never wise for a moth to crawl to a flame, but she cared nothing for the consequences. She lived for danger, lived in danger, and laughed at danger. She was an epitome of strength, and embraced all challenges without the slightest hesitation. Her name was the definition of courage. Nothing would prevent her from loving the anchor of her life, even the promise of death.

Through the wildest string of events, they were brought together. Her city was under siege, facing the threat of massive destruction. Some guy named Otacon contacted the Runner network, pleading with the network for assistance. His friend, who eventually became her shadow, was in the custody of her opposing organization. The malicious beasts used him for the most painful of experiments, giving absolutely no regard to his life. In their eyes, he was nothing more than a toy, a tool for their aspirations.

They spared absolutely no opportunity in letting him know that.

While he was in their custody, he didn't even have a name. They referred to him with a number, which brought something else to light. He was the end of a long line of experiments. Their previous experiments failed, but he was it. He was the perfect specimen, the one they needed to fulfill their goals.

Over and over again he tried to gain mercy.

All attempts failed.

Her attempt to rescue him, however, didn't. True to form, she literally burst into the Prodigy headquarters. One could have assumed she would have met instant death, but she was a one-woman army. An entire force of Prodigies fell not only to her hands and fists, but to her unmatched brilliance as well. She was a lion in human flesh, moving with unparalleled speed and valor.

Her charge was promptly placed into the care of her client, Otacon. A family reunion blossomed before her eyes, but it wasn't the least bit cheerful. She had never felt so heavy all of her life, watching the hearts of two people sink further into darkness. Her charge, the one Otacon affectionately referred to as 'Snake', hung by a thread. He was dying, drowning, lost in a void.

She tried not to feel helpless, but couldn't shake off the fear of a forlorn chick. How could she, in the presence of a withering family? The man she rescued was no different from a withering vegetable, Otacon was in tears, and the child? She shouldn't have been responsible for either one of them, far too young to handle anything but school assignments. Fortunately, the little maiden was not only comfortable with her life, but happy with everything inside of it.

Her courage was the silver lining of the storm.

Life was too hard to keep up with. One moment, she was at Snake's bedside, wondering if he'd ever open his eyes again. The next moment, she and Snake were coursing through the city's underbelly, searching for clues that would transport them to the enemy's hideout. Waiting for Snake to awaken was excruciating enough, but dealing with the next stream of events knocked the wind out of her.

Yes, life knocked the wind out of her. It knocked the wind out of the lionness' sails.

If someone asked her to relay the events of twenty four hours, she couldn't have answered. She could have said the last twenty four hours were spent flying, but she couldn't have gone any farther. Snake suffered from another round of seizures, government officials closed in on them, she shielded the fallen Snake from a wave of bullets...and Hal, good ol' Hal, was pouring out instructions.

The poor otaku was so frazzled, working as her Scout. He agreed to work as her Scout in return for her assistance, since her first Scout was killed in the line of duty. It wasn't too hard for an exchange to make, since Hal took an immediate shine to her, and absorbed new situations as a fish absorbed water. He was a little shaky on the job, but made such an adorable Scout.

Night had fallen, but with the way things were going, she couldn't tell the difference between night or day. It was just wonderful to know life was actually quiet. The Nomad was going through repairs, Hal was working alongside another set of Runners...

That was right. They were inside of an underground hideout. A handful of Runners, her new family and the love of her life were inside the hideout, concealed from the rest of the world. Sunny was cleaning up the kitchen, having completed a wonderfully refreshing meal of vegetable chowder. Hal was working on his Scout skills, pretty much running around on pins and needles, the poor dear. He had so to worry about, starting with Snake.

Snake. Snake Snake Snake.

She never stopped worrying about him either.

"Just hold still, you old fussbudget! I'm almost done!"

He couldn't have been any cuter, wincing at the onset of pain. She was trying to patch up his left arm, having completed patchwork on the rest of his body. Unfortunately, by the time she arrived at his arm, he was in no mood for treatment. Who really cared, though, when his grunts and facial expressions were so adorable? "Look, it's not my fault your arm was torn to pieces, so stop glaring at me," she said through laughter, unable to suppress a smile. Pretending to be angry never worked around Snake.

"Stop moving for a minute and you'll be as free as a bird!"

"Guess we could fly together, huh?"

Her cheeks became a pair of pink blossoms. His cheeks did as well. "You've got a knack for saying the cutest things at the weirdest times," she said, her voice soft but ablaze with affection. "We fly together all of the time, just so you know. Oh, and by the way, your arm's going to need a lot of rest. Nice to know you're skilled with both arms, and not just one."

He gave off another grunt, and put on the face of a disgruntled pig. She imagined herself throttling him to death, with hearts for eyes. "Just glad to see you're up to this," he said, eyes averted and cheeks burning. "I'm lucky to have a Runner with medical expertise."

"Yeah well, it's like that for most of us. We've got to be prepared, just in case shit happens. And you know shit happens."

"Yeah, I know. We've been through every kind of imaginable shit."

"Nice to have silence, isn't it? And to think, we'll be up and running in no time."

'I don't want to run anywhere', the puppy's eyes said. Pain exploded in his pale blue eyes. "I should stay here," he said, heart heavier than lead. "You can take the idiotic anime geek with you. The kid too. Just think I should stay here."

"That's not going to happen," the Runner said, digging through her knapsack of medical material. "You and I are a team."

The sadness on his face could have caused an epidemic of cavities. "Don't want us to be a team anymore."

"Well that's just too bad, because there isn't an 'I' in team. I'm the stronger half of this team, so I say we're sticking together."

A two minute session of coughing occured, then the puppy retaliated. "What you just doesn't make any sense!"

"Of course it does. You aren't in any condition to make decisions. I, on the other hand, can make as many decisions as I want. I have the most practice in flying solo."

"Hey! I was on my own too!"

"Yeah, but I'm not a clone with a deranged brother, an awol father and a detached mother."

Snake looked like one of Hal's anime characters. If the puppy had been inside of an anime, he would have had the cutest set of lines and teardrops for a face. "Do you have to point out everything?"

"Sure do," the Runner said, keeping her eyes on her patient's arm. Her voice was perfectly calm, pretty much nonchalant. "I love everything about you, so I've got no problem with pointing anything out. I'll point out other things, too. You're old, infected with some virus, and you've got the most adorable voice."

Snake's wrinkled face was darker than a ruby. "All right then," he snapped, snatching his arm away from the brunette. "I'll point things out about you! You're hot, gorgeous and you glide on air!"

Still as calm as ever, Faith Connors took back Snake's arm. "I love running my hands through your hair, your grunts and your bandana," she said, on the prowl for any unfinished areas. If a stranger had approached them, they would have assumed she was dying of boredom. "And people normally like compliments. You have a funny way of taking them."

"What's wrong with you?" a blushing, snarling soldier asked, watching as she completed the last round of stitches. His voice was faint, hoarse and burdened with pain. "How can you remain so calm after everything that's happened?"

"That's easy," Faith replied, putting the last of her supplies away. "I've lived with danger all of my life, and I know I've got to be strong. I've got people to look after, people to take care of."

Neither of them spoke for several moments. The brunette planted soft kisses on her patient's arm, and each kiss repeated three words. Her patient blushed at the impact of each kiss, smiling with the happiness of a revitalized bird. Their eyes met, coming from different worlds but unified through wildfire. "I...I'm not...g-g-g-good enough for you," the old soldier said, shaking his head with watery eyes. "F-F-Faith, y-y-you..."

Snake fell into another violent round of coughs. Faith's arms were about him instantly, and their eyes met once again. The love of her life, her diamond, looked so frail and thin. "You c-c-can't love me," the legendary soldier whispered, tears streaming from his eyes. "And I shouldn't love you. This j-j-just isn't right."

Into her palms his cheeks went. Her eyes, ablaze with anger, pierced his heart and soul. Her fingers cradled his falling tears, while her eyes soothed the very core of his soul. "I decide what's right for myself," she said, her dark voice scorching the night. She sent the tip of her nose to touch the tip of his nose. "I have made the decision to love you, and love you I shall."

'I love you', she whispered before drawing him into a kiss. Two pairs of lips melted into each other, as chocolate syrup melted over a sundae. The porcelain arms of a maiden slowly wrapped around the male's neck. She shut her eyes in the midst of their kiss, beaming at the sound of a small grunt.

He was hesitant about the situation at first, blushing and wrestling between options. To soften his shyness, Faith cupped her hands around his head, sending her fingers through his hair. Beaming, she nuzzled her forehead and nose against his. Smiling, he slowly wrapped his arms around her. A dash of crimson shot through his cheeks, as he realized the distance between her breasts and his chest.

There wasn't too much of a distance.

"It's okay," a gentle voice whispered into his ear, running her fingers through his hair. The voice was warm, soft, and sweeter than anything he had ever heard. "Go ahead. Touch me."

His eyes spoke of a desire to do so, but he didn't budge. He began to remove his arms from her waist, but in the end, decided to keep them there. Sensing his hesitation, Faith rubbed her nose against his with a chuckle. "It's okay," she repeated, taking him by the hand. She carried his hand underneath her black tank top. He shuddered at the movement, but she carried on. "It's all right," she said, eyes brighter than the heavens. She moved his hand onto her left breast, and chuckled once his face adopted the sheen of a blood-red orange.

"Don't be afraid. Just close your eyes and go with the flow."

Still blushing, he slowly shut his eyes. She observed his awkward movements with the warmest smile, keeping his hand on her bosom. He traced the shape of her breast, working as if he were carving some sort of monument to Heaven. She rubbed her chest and thighs against him, silently encouraging him to explore. Still unsure of himself, but gaining ground, Snake sent his free hand to cover her other breast. He gave both of them a small squeeze, and received a searing kiss in return. Beaming with a fox's mischief, she continued the kiss by sending her tongue into his mouth. His eyes widened, and he almost gagged as an offense against himself, but melted into her tongue's sweet dance. Her hands rubbed his back, and soon crept underneath his pants. "You're all mine," she whispered, shortly after she broke off the kiss. "I've got you right where I want you."

His hands spread across her back, eventually making their way to the insides of her ivory white cardigans. Growling, she rubbed her body against his, placing the emphasis of her movements on her bosom. The lionness initiated a dance he couldn't ignore, regardless of how shy he was. He returned her movements, hands making contact with the moistness of her thighs. His hands moved over the front of her thighs, in order to make full contact with her damp areas. His soft whimpers drew her closer, deeper. Her kisses became wetter, sending the sleek melody of dancing ocean waves into his mouth.

Enchanted by his new movements, she unfastened his pants. Whimpers and growls united as skin was slowly exposed, greeted by a pair of soft, hungry hands. Kisses were planted onto a neck as hands fondled a burly set of thighs, threatening to tear a certain area of the male apart. Her pants were quickly unfastened, and soon her bottom half was exposed.

Grinning, she flipped him onto his back. He gasped at the sudden movement, and the possibilities that could ensue. "Wh-wh-what are you doing?!" he gasped, eyes as wide as saucers. She giggled with the mirthful mischief of an imp.

"What does it look like, silly?"

"Faith!"

"Don't worry," the black-haired Runner said, putting forth a playful frown. "Nobody's going to walk in on us. You don't think they've heard anything?"

"It's not that! You can't-we can't do this! We've gone too far!"

"I don't think so," she said, eyes darkening but smile intact. Snake, on the other hand, looked as if he wished to explode from anxiety.

"What are you, crazy?! Think of what could happen!"

And so she thought. She thought of how she could possibly end up with FOXDIE, or his baby. She thought-

For a second.

"Faith...!"

Additional protests were transformed into heavy moans. The maiden had set about inserting his shaft into her body, still smiling.

Never before had Solid Snake felt so heavy.

Sadness, frustration, anger, regret and euphoria all broke out at once, overwhelming him. His emotions were far too much to take, far too much to hold for one human body. How could she? How could she risk losing everything, including her life, with a smile? How could she risk bearing the child of a wretched, dying old man? How could she risk infecting herself with his strain of FOXDIE?

How could she do all of that with a bright, bubbly smile?

He shut his eyes, tears overflowing. Her damp breasts rubbed against his chest. Still smiling, she made it so his shaft would be completely inside of her. He followed her movements with the awkward tension of a rookie ice skater, hands latched onto her back. The smile on her face was one of great happiness, pristine and far more radiant that any jewel. To her, the world was at peace, and nothing could bother her.

Bearing fiery red cheeks, he tightened his eyelids. Tears soaked his face as milk soaked the young maiden's thighs, penetrating her insides. Some other things were probably penetrating her insides too, and those possibilities brought him dangerously close to sobbing. How could she? How could such a beautiful young maiden throw herself away? Even if she didn't bear his child, even if she didn't catch FOXDIE, how could she? How could she be happy?

How?

How could she love him, when Meryl turned away? How could she be so patient, so kind and loving, when Meryl had dismissed him? How?

How?

Something else swept through him, quickly replacing all of the negatives.

That something else was commonly known as 'love'.

He was no longer the awkward student. Smiling through an ocean of never-ending tears, he rocked his body against his. He heard her chuckle, and beamed at the presence of a mischievous vixen.

He loved her, fell in love with her, wanted her, needed her. Madly.

His hands returned to the underbelly of her shirt, quickly making their way back to her bosom. Happy to notice his loss of nervousness, the svelte Runner gripped his back. He tightened his grip on her chest, she took several deep breaths, and-

The two of them cried out as one.

A moment passed. Carefully he slid out of her, treating her as if she had become a shard of glass. Once again appearing to be nonchalant, she wrapped her arms around his waist with a sigh. She laid her head down on his chest and shut her eyes, alarming the one she loved. "Don't you think you should put your pants back on?" he said breathlessly, his voice barely above a whisper. She looked as if she wished to stick her tongue out, but retrieved her pants-with a scowl. Back onto her body the pants went, and onto his thighs a kiss went. She appeared to be bored, but both of them knew that wasn't the least bit true.

That was just how she was.

"Don't you think _you_ should put _your_ pants back on, Snake?"

He gave off a little grunt. "Would like to, but you tired me out!"

Faith threw back her head with a sigh. "Oh fine. Want me to put 'em back on for you? I will, if you really want me too."

He cringed and folded himself into a ball. "Don't mess with me, babe!"

Grinning brighter than ever, she retrieved his pants and then lowered herself to ground level, peering straight into his eyes. "Don't you want me to dress you?" she asked, looming over him as a black panther. And once again, the terrified Snake looked like one of Hal's characters.

"You don't want to dress me! Get the hell away from me!"

"Honesty is the best policy, Snake," the panther purred, rubbing her body against his. "Just tell me what you want and I'll do it for you."

"Stop saying my name! Get away from meeee! Otacoooooon!"

'Otacon' answered his call, all right, but not in the way Snake expected him to. He bolted right into their little area, carrying his laptop. He looked as if he wished to evade a demon, and the demon was right on his heels. The demon happened to be another Runner, and that Runner was wearing-

Sunny's Pikachu hat.

"Leave me alone! I'll never do that! Not even in a million years!"

"Aw, come on, Hallie! Only for a little while!"

"Leave me aloooooone! Snaaaaaaaake!"

"Don't come cryin' to me! I've got my own problems!"

"Haaaaaal! I promise to be good to you! I only want it one time!"

"Snake, do something!"

"Don't look at me! You hired these nutjobs! FAITH! STOP IT!"

"Grown ups are just so playful," Sunny said to herself, smiling as she scrubbed out her last pot.

She placed the pot inside of her makeshift rack, put away her washcloth, and walked off to bed.

* * *

This was composed to a wide menagerie of things. I had to do some heavy dosage because this was a HET LEMON, so yeah. I experimented on a wide variety of love songs and video game soundtracks, ranging from Kingdom Hearts to Suikoden V.

Het. I wrote another het project. And the thing is, I actually enjoyed writing it. EW EW EW! XD And yes, the second Runner wanted a nice, naughty favor from Hal. That was my only inclusion of yaoi. As for Faith, well...Kitty was a little thirsty. I'll just leave it at that.

Yes, Faith/Snake is one of the ONLY het couples I do love. And the threat of Faith bearing Snake's baby was just too cute to resist, despite Snake's age.

Faith looming over Snake like a predator was inspired by a scene from The Fifth Element, which I believed to be man's greatest gift when it was released in theatres. XD In one scene, the character Leeloo stared at another character right in the eyes, moving and growling as a lionness would when stalking her prey.

Hal being chased by the male Runner was inspired by a Ranma 1/2 scene, when the Girl-type Ranma ran through her house, being chased by the character Shampoo. The male Runner is a character of my creation, and since his role in this oneshot was so small, I decided to leave his description up to my audience. XD Just so you know, the unnamed Runner isn't that much of an idiot. Both Faith and her co-Runner really felt the need to unwind, after so much angst from the city's troubles. That night will be the last bits of happiness for the entire group.

Thank you for reading. I'm hoping this beats the crap out of 'Testament'. In my eyes it does because it features a HET LEMON-one I actually enjoyed writing.

Excuse me while I choke on het, now. XD


	2. Chapter 2

Welcome to the second chappie of Monument, a very special monument to a special friendship. **_Please do not continue to read this is you're allergic to a human-ized Old 'Solid' Snake, and/or fluff._**

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"Will he be all right?"

That was the question on everyone's mind. It was the result of a long, arduous night, a night that seemed to bear no end. Chaos seemed to have no end for several of the Earth's inhabitants, evidenced by the heartache flowing between them. Five souls had returned to the underground hideout of the Runners, and none of their hearts were light. They were burdened with fear, truly far too heavy for any human to carry. Any mortal should have died under such pressure.

Hal believed himself to be close to death, closer than he had ever been before. He assumed the pain of his past would have killed him, but seeing his oldest friend in dire straits surpassed all pain from bygone ages. The losses he experienced, the devastation he endured, couldn't hold a candle to the present.

Along with his makeshift family, he was inside of an underground sanctuary. Unfortunately, the haven could offer no true solace. Sunny's spirits were up, as always, and her strength was unfathomable. How any child could operate underneath such pressure evaded the adults. She was her father's anchor, never removing herself from his side.

Sion, Faith's co-worker (or co-Runner) was in charge of the Emmerich duo. While Snake had an ever-growing love tale with Faith, the anime otaku grew closer to Faith's comrade. Without pressure he was a jolly, sweet thing, alive with a child's infectious innocence. Whenever business came in to play, though, his demeanor shifted. He was a calm yet firm stallion, able to create stability in the midst of chaos. "We can't say anything for sure, but just hold on," he said in response to Hal, voice softer than a leaf. He placed his hands on Sunny's shoulders, almond eyes filled with kindness.

"We've got to keep hope alive. Let's book it, for now."

The blue-haired Runner led the duo away, leaving two souls alone in their own little world. The underground haven might not have been much, and its air might have been icy, but it was their home. One heart remained in a sea of optimism, clinging to hope even as hope ebbed out of her hands. She attached her heart and soul to a single thread, hoping that thread would be enough to carry her family to sunshine. Sadly, that little thread was in danger of snapping.

There seemed to be no rest for two united souls. Whenever they set foot outside of the Runner's haven, life unfolded as a flip book. They believed themselves to be closer to unlocking the Prodigy goal, but the Prodigies threw a slew of wrenches. As far as they could tell, the Prodigy Organization wished to create a new race of humans. Thus, the enslavement of Snake.

After the completion of their new race, and their 'stages of evolution', they were meant to awaken their new world's spearhead. Just when they caught a glimpse of info on their Messiah, Hell broke loose once again. Snake was almost returned to Prodigy custody, he and his Runner were overwhelmed by Prodigies, and then the Runner's sister made an appearance. The old soldier was wrestled to the ground, thoroughly frightened. An enraged lionness tried to reach him, but was overpowered by the great number of Prodigies. She was helpless as the symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder kicked into high gear, rendering her angel completely defenseless. He was a frantic, weeping bear cub, wrestling against those injecting him with poison. She cried out, growled, unleashed threats, but to no avail.

Her fire scorched the heavens once Kate arrived.

Kate. Good ol' Kate. Her predicament had been one of Faith Connors' problems. She had been framed for a crime she didn't commit, and her sister doggedly pursued the truth in favor of her name. Her search for the truth meshed in with her liberation of Snake, but when Kate's new allies were discovered, that one search came to a stop. The former police officer vowed to give the Prodigy corporation her support, and ordered Faith to hand over Snake-who, at that point, was lost in another tearful, cold seizure.

Faith, after working so hard to keep her sister safe, pretty much told her to 'go to Hell'.

To say she was 'pissed off' would have been an understatement. Out of captivity the Runner flew, taking her charge with her. Hal and Sion were able to pull them out of danger, but anguish didn't take its leave at the helicopter. Thanks to the Prodigies, their beloved Snake was in grave danger. Their poison, in a collaboration with FOXDIE, accelerated his aging process and unleashed intolerable havoc on his insides.

Faith's face was still. Emotionless. She was always alive whenever Snake was around, but the current state of events didn't leave room for a smile. She was a statue, fearful of succumbing to emotion. At Snake's side she was, keeping an unbreakable vigil over him. She held her silence even around Hal and Sunny, who were painfully distraught. Prodding at anything inside of her heart would have been disastrous.

She had never shed a single tear. She didn't even shed a tear over her first Scout's death. She silently vowed to refrain from tears, and had no desire to sink into them at Snake's side. Doing so would have damaged her image, which was the image of a lionness. She had to be strong, had to remain strong, for the sake of her loved ones. She had to be an anchor, had to be a pillar, for those that needed her.

The nights were filled with cuddling, revelations and kisses. His Post Traumatic Stress Disorder crept out whenever serenity was near. At night he was ravenous for affection, and smaller than a newborn kitten. She snuggled against him, reassured him of his safety, and listened. She listened, learned, and understood everything. She listened as he told her war stories. She listened as he told her about his family.

She absorbed his stories as a flower absorbed water.

She loved him, craved him, needed him far more than she needed air. She knew and cherished everything about him, starting from his silvery white hair to his kitten-like demeanor. She had been able to heal him every night, and in return, she received the world's most beautiful smile. The current night would be different, though. He was far away from her, lost in a void of pain.

She tried to keep her eyes away from him, but she couldn't keep herself from throwing occassional glances. His wrinkled face was slathered in pain, and drenched in the anguish of increased aging. She wanted to pretend as if the night had never happened, wanted to pretend everything was all right, but that was impossible. Reality slapped her in the face once faint whimpers met her ears.

Onto his face her hands went. Tearful brown eyes met small blue slits. A set of hands squeezed wrinkled, pale cheeks. Soft almonds begged for relief but promised undying love. "Faith," a hoarse voice said, barely above a whisper. A set of hands fell onto her face, reaching out to her with a newborn fawn's innocence.

"Faith. Faith."

Her name was the only thing he knew. There were no other words, no other names. She was all that he knew, and all that he needed. Onto his body she went, slowly spreading across his frame. She placed her forehead against his, and enclosed his hands into hers. Their heartbeats were one as silence blanketed them. "Faith," a fawn repeated, running his hands through short black hair. "Faith."

A geyser prodded at her throat, but she put forth a feeble attempt to restrain it. "I'm here," she said, her voice softer than a breeze. Her hands played with silvery white wisps, and on her face dwelled a smile. "I'm here, but I have no name. I am the one without a name."

Surprised by her ability to suppress tears, she kissed him. His lips, cheeks, neck and collar bone were blessed with kisses. "I'm here, and I've always been here with you," she said, speaking as a mother would speak to a sobbing infant. Her hands unfastened his shirt, and her hands were gently laid onto his chest.

"I'm here, and I'm with you. I'm here and I love you."

Hands gingerly moved onto her back. She planted kisses upon his chest, hands tracing its very shape. Her eyes were closed, but they weren't shut by the hands of disgust. They were closed in adoration, concealing gems that were ablaze with love.

Hands traced the arc of her back, and stopped once they approached her behind. She smiled sadly, inwardly cursing his hesitation. Onto his nose a kiss went, followed by a long kiss to his lips. "I'm here," she repeated, lowering her voice. Her hands traced the shape of his chest and arms.

"I've always been with you. I've been with you, from the time you were born. I am with you, and I have no name. I'm simply inside of you, beating, breathing, loving you."

Her hands grasped his hands. Taking a deep breath, she rocked her body against his, eyes closed. His hands hovered about her lower half, and whimpers fell from his lips. "Don't think," she whispered, voice brushing against his heart. "Don't think of your name, your past, or even your dreams. Think of nothing but my body against yours."

Slowly he shut his eyes. A moment passed before he moved his hands across her back. Smiling, she planted several heavy kisses onto his lips. He returned the final kiss, hands cupping her face. "I love you," the black-haired Runner whispered, nuzzling her forehead against his. "I love you, and we are one. I am here, beating inside of you."

He grunted, expressing a desire to speak, but no words followed the grunt. She giggled weakly, rubbing the tip of her nose against his. "Forget the pain," she urged softly, sweetly, running her hands over his chest. "Forget the poison. Forget everything you've ever known. Just hold my voice, and believe in me. Trust in me. I will save you. I will love you."

"I...I l-l-love you. I love you."

That was the last straw.

She pulled away from him, hands covering her face. His hands were outstretched, wondering where she had gone. Rivers fell from her eyes, the eyes were once devoid of tears. She hated his pain, the poison, and everything else that went with it.

How?

How could humans be so cruel? How could humans put one of their own through such pain? How could he even think of expressing love, drowning in such horrific pain?

How?

He was aging, dying right before her very eyes. If something wasn't done soon, she would lose him. She would lose the first and last love of her life.

Tears were flowing from her eyes, but there weren't any sobs. As a result, a massive lump formed in her throat. She returned her eyes to her fawn, who was lost in soft sobs. He was none too happy with her absence. "Stop crying," she said, returning the warm joy to her voice. "Don't cry anymore. I'm here. I have never left."

She returned her forehead to his, hands stroking his cheeks. The tears stopped, and were followed by a smile. Once silence blanketed his heart, she slowly lifted herself from his body. "That was amazing," a quiet, familiar voice said, accompanied by a small maiden. Faith turned to face the two of them, one hand on Snake's forehead.

Hal was responsible for the previous three words, but Sunny's eyes echoed them. The two of them had spent a great deal of time immersed in tears, especially the older Emmerich. "You were incredible," the otaku said, trying his hardest to smile. "You could very well be a psychologist!"

"The two of you heard everything, huh?" the Connors said with a light chuckle, wiping her eyes. "I expected that to happen."

"Epyon-sama's going to be all right now, isn't he?" Hal's tiny daughter sang, eyes singing of great joy. She spoke as if the answer were obvious, broadening Faith's tearful smile. "He's sleeping," the Runner replied, ruffling Sunny's hair. "but he isn't in any more pain. I bought myself some time."

Hal's tearful, red eyes were bogged down with anxiety. "For what?"

As a smiling Sunny flocked to a sleeping Epyon, Faith tilted her head with a smile. "Oh, just for a little something," she said replied, beaming through a sheet of tears.

"You'll see."

* * *

This was composed to a wide variety of soundtracks, ranging from the Beyond Good and Evil OST to the soundtrack of the .hack//sign anime.

Happy Valentine's Day! Forever love.


End file.
